PROMOTION-CHASING Bognor had to settle for a point in a forgettable encounter with Leiston at Nyewood Lane which ended in their first home goalless draw of the season.

With the Rocks setting out looking for their fourth straight win, Ashley Harris was on the bench as Arron Hopkinson was given a start out wide.

Doug Tuck in action against Leiston - he was named man of the match Picture by Tommy McMillan

Scott Chamberlain came into central midfield in place of injured captain Kane Wills.

Bognor have not always been fast starters at home this season but they looked lively enough this time, winning a couple of early corners. The second of them saw Harvey Whyte tee up Terry Dodd but he didn’t make a clean connection and the ball spun and came back off the post and was cleared.

Soon Ollie Pearce broke through for a drive that keeper Danny Gay needed two attempts to hold.

Leiston were forced into a tenth-minute substitution - with defender Patrick Brothers having taken a knock, Jack Simmons replaced him.

Dodd got end of a ball into the box on 17 minutes but the attentions of a defender and keeper Gay meant he couldn’t force the ball home.

Sub Simmons sidefooted wide from inside the box after Gareth Heath and Emmanuel Osei had worked an opening for him in a quick counter-attack.

Leiston threatened again a couple of minutes later when Joe Francis’ curling ball in from the left was poked goalwards by Heath, but Grant Smith got everything behind it.

Doug Tuck’s well-struck shot was blocked by a defender as the Rocks looked for the breakthrough.

There was a lengthy hold-up while Osei was treated for a head injury then made the slowest walk possible to the touchline - before running back on again at normal pace when permitted.

Bognor were struggling to find any fluency and if anything, Leiston were enjoying the lion’s share of possession.

But when they did get forward, Hopkinson swung in a teasing cross from the right on 36 minutes and James Crane got a head to it beyond the far post but there was no home player there to take advantage.

For Leiston, Blake Sayer got in down the right and had a cross-shot deflected over for a corner.

Dodd turned his man to hit a hopeful lob towards goal but Gay held it with ease. Craig Robson had a free header from a corner but again Gay was there to keep it out.

HT 0-0

There were no changes for either side at the start of the second half - but what the Rocks fans were thinking was whether there’d be a change to their team’s effectiveness after a below-par first-half showing.

Bognor at least started the second half in a positive fashion, winning a corner within a minute with a neat move down the left. But it came to nothing.

A spell of pressure came to a swift halt when Hopkinson tried a shot from well outside the box, but it was always ambitious and drifted over.

A Pearce corner found Robson at the far post but there was no power in his header.

The Rocks needed inspiration from someone and looked to Dan Thompson to provide it, bringing him on for Whyte.

Hopkinson produced the Rocks’ best effort of the gamr to date when his swerving left-footed effort brought a diving save out of Gay. The corner again came to nothing when the ref saw a foul by a home player as the kick came in.

A free-kick 22 yards out led to another near-miss. Chamberlain’s low drive was pushed out by Gay and sub Thompson couldn’t quite force it in from a tight angle.

A cross by Francis was almost turned into his own goal by Stuart Axten, the ball going the right side of Smith’s post as far as the Rocks were concerned.

Leiston made their second change when they replaced Osei with Rhys Henry.

Daryl Wollers came into the fray with 17 minutes left, replacing Chamberlain, with Crane moving forward into midfield.

Hopkinson wasted a great opportunity to put the Rocks ahead on 74 minutes when Thompson’s ball put him through - but he lacked composure and fired high and wide.

There was controversy on 84 minutes when Leiston almost went through and scored through Simmons after the ref ignored a clear foul on Paul Hinshelwood. Smith saved the day by coming out quickly to block the danger.

Leiston’s Adam Tann was booked for stopping Pearce in his tracks in the centre circle.

Thompson couldn’t get his head on the end of a decent cross from Hopkinson with three minutes left.

Smith had to be on his toes to push a fine effort by Connor Hubble from 25 yards away for a corner.

In injury time, Dodd and Crane both chased a hopeful ball forward by Hinshelwood into the box but Gay got there first.

Pearce looked like he might touch in the winner from a Hopkinson cross but Gay kept it out and an offside flag would have denied him anyway.

Bognor piled on the pressure in three minutes added on but it was to no avail.

Next the Rocks go back on the road - they visit Canvey Island on Tuesday and Bury Town next Saturday.